Apparatus for drafting textile fibers



Original Filed Feb. 2, 1946 v INVENTOR -Wmrwo z7-H 1". Bugs Patented M524, 1949 N o FFlcE] J APPARATUS FOR DRAFTING TEXTILE FIBERS Whitworth F. Bird,

Collins & Aikm This invention relates to drafting devices for the processing of textile fibers in the formation of continuous strands such as worsted type rovings and yarns containing blends of fibers including long wool and cotton. More particularly,

.it relates to drafting devices for these fibers .of

substantial length variation on equipment comprising an apron and cooperating control roller. The present application is a g of my prior application, Serial No. 635,642, filed December 18, 1945. This application is 'a division of my prior application Serial No. 645,055,filed February 2, 1946, now abandoned. It includes additions and modifications highly useful in drafting fibers of substantial length variation and those which are difficult to control for other reasons, as will be more fully set forth.

As pointed out in my earlier application, common current procedures are to blend cotton and wool fibers by selecting short fiber wools which have a fiber length nearly that of cotton, or of cutting wool top into lengths so that the cut fibers may be spun with cotton on what is commonly described as the cotton system. This system of drafting is generally characterized by the use of a short ratch for the draft stage, as is well understood throughout the industry.

These procedures are uneconomic in that proper short wool fibers are not readily available, and the price of worsted 'top stock is considerably higher. In addition, the highly important benefits of the long wool staple, both in processing and in the finished yarn, are obviously lost by the prior cutting step. The area close behind the nip or contact line of the front rolls is a critical drafting area. In this area, the fibers engaged by the front rolls are being rapidly separated from the other fibers. If an untwisted sliver of long and short stock is processed, conventional slip rolls and an apron will not control the short fibers properly. The fibers will pull through in bunches and I have found that the front slip roll will often have a surface speed higher than that of-the supporting apron. If the weight of the front slip roll, i. e. that slip roll nearest the usual nose bar, is increased to better control the short fibers, the weight would continuation in part ing considerable flexibility bruary. 2,1946, Serial No.1 dthis application April 22,

Swarthmore, Pal, assignor to an Corporation, Pa., a, corporation of Delaware Original application Fe 645,055. Divided an 1948, Serial No. 22,686.

4 Claims. (oi. 19 1 s1) Philadelphia,

apron under a wide range of desirable operating conditions,

I have overcome the difficulties of the prior practices and have provided a frictionally driven:

apron which is in no way impeded in its forward motion by the weight of my control roller. The roller of my improvements actually assists the uniform driving of the apron and yet controls the fibers being drafted in the critical drafting area as the stock moves through the device. It permits uniform drafting resu void of variations in speed during operation, and hence eliminates undesirable variations in fiber control which result fromthe use of slip rollers which'are driven by the stock being processed.

My control pressure rollers are adjustable and positively driven, and their surface may be smooth, fluted, knurled or provided with pins as in my prior application, Serial No. 635,642. The control rollersmay be used in a depressed apron arrangement and/or in conjunction with conventional slip jrolle'rs, in which case my positively driven roller is the forward control roller in the drafting area. The action of my improved control roller is not influenced by stock variations in drafting characteristics or fiber length, and it functions well' onboth smooth and relatively rough fibers.

An object of my invention is to improve the fiber control of drafting devices using an endless have to be increased to such an extent that the fibers will not turn it and the frictionally driven apron will actually stall. These considerations in addition to variations of drafting characteristics belt or apron type stock support.

Another object is to provide a drafting device including an apron and a positively driven control roller, which roller is positioned close to the nip of a pair of front draft rolls.

Another objct is to provide a drafting device including a frictionally driven apron and a positively driven control roller which is positioned close to the nip of a pair of front draft rolls.

Another object is to provide a control roller which is driven independently of the stock or of the stock supporting apron.

Another object is to provide a positively driven control roller within the critical drafting area of a long fiber drafting device, which control roller will aid in or not impede the frictional driving of a'stock supporting and feeding apron.

, Another object is to provide fiber control means 5 its, and, 'while affordin initial setting, is decontacting portion of the roller.

sired speed ratio between the apron and stock These and other objects of invention willbe manifest from a consideration of the following ,description, claims and drawings in which: l

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of V a draft stage showing a frictionally driven apron, a conventional slip roll, and my positively drivencontrol roller within the critical drafting area.

, Figure 2 is. a sub-assembly view showing'the roller and drive .for the roller of Figure 1 and one of the adjustable bearings for moving the pressure roller and/or comb. In this figure, rolls 30 and 3| have a surface speed several times the feeding rate, and control of the fibers against undesirable .or premature forwardly movement is effected by apron 32 cooperating witha pressure roll 33 which may take the form of a pin or porcupineroll having pins 34. Apron 32 is looped about-nose bar 35, driven roller 36, and weight roller horizontally or vertically for selective positioning relative to the apron and stock.

Figure 315 a diagrammatic side elevational view of amodification in which the control roller is knurled, and is positioned slightly rearwardly.

ofjthe'tip of the nose bar.

Figure .4 is a view of-the roller of Figure 3 and of a simple driving endadjustment means as in Figure-2. Figure 5 is adiagrammatic side elevational view showing a combined pin and pressure roller with rotatable collars adjacent thereto which'permitvariations in speed between the control pressure roller and the apron.

Fig. 6 is an additional View of the structure of Fig. 5 emphasizing the adjustability of the frame, the apron driving nip arrangement formed by the end portions and the roller 36 and the more fragile central fiber control portion being protected against deformation by the apron.

Referring to the drawings,.Figure 1 shows pairs of rolls Ill, II and I2, I3, which are respectively the front and backrolls of a draft stage Roll members IO, N rotate at several times the speed of back rolls l2, l3 to reduce or draft the fiber stock. As will be understood, the back rolls l2, l3

are essentially convenient feeding means and are usually spaced from the front rolls a istance in excess of the length of the fibers being drafted. The supporting apron I4 is maintained under tension by the guide and weight roll l5, to which spring i6, secured to fixed part II, is attached. Roller i8 supports apron l4, and slip roll L) which roll 31, to which spring 38 is attached at 33. Spring 38 is also secured to fixed member 43.

The pins 34 are preferably slightly spaced from apron 32. Anti-friction or ball bearing collars 4| are pressed into place on the shaft 42 so that the-inner race of the bearing rotates with the shaft 42 and the outer race engages the apron 32, and turns freely therewith, as willbe understood. Any suitable collar, including needle and dry lubricated bearings, may be used, and they may be secured against lateral movement in any of a number .of convenient ways The control or porcupine roll 33, may be assembled by the securing together of two halves over the shaft.42 in position between a pair of collars 4|. The

' collars 4| are preferably of substantial width so tions may of course be integral with roll 33 as as to form a'firm nip with driven roller 36, and thus cooperate in the frictional driving of the feeding and fiber control apron 32.

Drixen roller 36 and collars 4| determine the rate of apron drive. Where there is no special requirement for an independence in driving rates between the apron and the roll 33, the end porspecifically illustrated in my prior application Serial No. 635,642. It will be noted that when the end portions are integral with the roll, simplificationin driving requirements are automatically attained as the apron may then be driven is rotated by the movement of fiber stock, twisted or untwisted, through the device.

Close behind, or superposed on the nose bar 20, is a control roller 2| fixed to or integral with shaft 22. The shaft 22 is supported in square or rectangular journals diagrammatically shown at 23, which are horizontally and vertically adjustable by pairs of screws 24 and 25. Pairs of screws 24, 25 press against the journal 23. By advancing one screw of a set and withdrawing the other a like amount the journal can be adjusted either horizontally or vertically relative to a frame structure (not shown) in which the screws are mounted for turning. Gear 26i's adjusted with the shaft after which gear train indicated at 21 maybe conveniently adjusted to driving-engagement with gear 26.

Figures 3 and 4 are similar to Figures 1 and 2 respectively, and like parts are given like reference numerals for the sake of brevity. Figure 3 shows the shaft 22 adjusted rearwardly and downwardly to depress apron I4. A supporting roller 28 for the apron I4 and the substitution of knurled roll 2| for smooth roll 2| are the only differences in the two constructions.

Figure 5 illustrates a modification omitting the back rolls, the fibers being fed in any convenient manner, as suggested in prior application, Serial No. 635,642, directly to the fiber control from a single source connected to either of the nip forming rolls 33 or 36, with a resultant saving of driving parts. All the feature advantages relating to aiding in the driving of the apron by a slip draft roll in combination with guarding the fragile or deformable central fiber control portion against deleterious pressure efiects of the apron are retained. I

The drive for the pin or'pressure roll 33, Figure 6, is similar to the drives of Figures 2 and 4. It

includes journals such as 46 and adjusting pairsof screws 41 and 46 for the journals and gear 43. A driving gear train indicated at 50 will drive the mechanism in adjusted position. It will thus be seen that the speed of rotation of the pressure roller 33 may becompletely independent of the rate of movement of the apron 32, and that this modification permits a wide choice of operating conditions, depending. on the relative speeds of the operating parts. It is to be understood that while I have shown but a single drafting unit for each modification, I contemplate their use in series as in multi-stage drafting devices. The means for feeding the stock to the control unit may vary in accordance with the type installation, and length and type of fibers being drafted.

stock into a single draft stage or stages in line.

I have described the inventiomin connection with preferred embodiments thereof, but I do not wish to be limited thereto, but rather by the scope of the following claims I claim:

1. In a drafting device for textile fibers comprising a pair of front drafting members, stock feeding means including an apron, porting and tensioning means for positively driven pressure roller relation to the apron, rotatable collars on said roller, said collars being in running contact with the apron during operation of the device, and means for positively driving the pressure roller at a predetermined rate.

2. In a drafting device for textile fibers comprising a pair of front drafting members, stock feeding means including an apron, guiding, supporting and tensioning means for the apro a pressure roller in superposed relation to the apron, said pressure roller comprising a positively driven portion and a portion rotatable relatively to the positively driven portion, means for positively driving said first determined rate, and means including the apron for frictionally driving the rotatable portion of the pressure roller. v a

3. In the combination set forth in claim 2, further characterized in that the frictionally driven portion ofthe pressure roller depresses the apron into a curved path and forms a nip with apron driving means. V

4. In a drafting device for textile fibers comguiding, supthe apron, a in superposed named portion at a preprising a pair of front means positioned around the roll between the end collars, said fiber control means being guarded against apron pressure by the end collars.

wmwoa'm F. BIRD.

nnmnnncns CITED lhe following referencesare of record in the file of this patent:

. UNITED sra'rns' PLAI'ENTS Number Name Date.

2,027,212 'I'ruslow Jan. 7, 1986 2,370,598 Walsh et 81. Feb. 27, 1945 V roman m'mn'r's Number Country] Date 566,741 Feb. 19, 1924 

